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REDEEMING THE TIME, BECAUSE THE DAYS ARE EVIL

EPHESIANS 5:16

DESTINY KNIGHT-STORM (HER STORY IS TOLD IN THE E-BOOK KNIGHT-STORM BY JOHNATHAN EMBER

“I’m glad I got you alone,” Seven said to me breathlessly after we climbed into his car. His automobile was a bright green, somewhat new Camaro.

“Huh?” I replied dumbly as I frowned.

We had just left his daughter’s Bible study that was being held every Thursday evening. My husband, who is also Seven’s cousin, was called away by a friend of ours whose car broke down. Seven kindly offered to give me a ride home, but now appeared to be up to something questionable.

“I dreamt about you and me,” he said as he placed a hand on my forearm.

“Ewh,” I responded as I jerked my arm away and opened the door to scramble out.

“No, no, no, Dee,” he said as his eyebrows arched into his forehead. “I’m sorry, that came out entirely wrong. Please don’t go.”

I cautiously resettled into my seat and shut the door, eying him skeptically. I should have known better. I believed Seven’s conversion two years ago to be genuine. Plus, I happened to know he was currently in a bit of a love triangle. So I’m sure he wasn’t looking to make it a quadrangle, especially with his cousin’s wife. His cousin who is built like a low fat tank.

“Do you ever listen to my podcast?” he asked.

“I have,” I mumbled. “When Sevenia’s on.”

He frowned and pursed his lips. I giggled. “Sorry, I try to.”

“Did you hear the one she did about a love triangle?”

“You mean about Jack and Jill who went up the hill to get a bowl of chili?”

“And then Jill fell for Willie, who made the bowl of chili,” he added as he nodded. “Then eventually began an affair with him.”

“Okay, so what’s that have to do with me, and what role does a dream of yours play?”

“Well, that segment was a big hit. Apparently sex and betrayal, culminating with forgiveness and redemption is quite appealing.”

“And you think this is new? There have been thousands of books and movies on the topic.”

“I know, I know,” he said, waving a hand to suggest slow down. “But you should read some of the e-mails I’ve received. I’ve contacted a few so far, and they would be willing to share their testimony. Some, maybe even most, are still looking for spiritual answers and wondering if healing is even possible.”

“Okay, so are you looking for my approval?” I replied. “Sevenia did a great job moderating. And even though the story was heart breaking for Jack, it was inspirational by the way he handled it.”

“That’s the problem,” he responded. “I asked Sevenia if she would do some more interviews, and she doesn’t want to do it. Although she did a great job, interviewing Jack and Jill made her rather uncomfortable. And I understand. It should be somebody older and more, what’s the word I’m looking for?”

I suddenly knew where he was going with this and felt apprehension crawl all over my skin. “Seven, I know where you are going with this, and I politely, respectfully decline.”

“Here me out, Dee,” he pleaded. “I woke up this morning picturing you in Sevenia’s place at the interview table. You helping people tell their story, and offering wise council when needed. Listen, you are the epitome of Revelation 3:15, 16.”

“Are those the verses warning not to be lukewarm?” I asked with a frown, wondering where he was going with that.

“Yes, it would be better to be hot or cold,” he replied enthusiastically. “I can’t think of a better example of someone going from cold to hot than you. You were a very a successful adult entertainer. Then you become a born again Christian and end up ministering to women in your former profession.”

“But you’re comparing apples to oranges. I know how to talk to strippers and porn stars. I don’t know how to council married people with adultery issues.”

“You wouldn’t be a counselor, though. You would be a sympathetic listener who happens to be, not only Biblically grounded, but an expert on sex. A sexpert if you please.”

“Give me a break,” I laughed. “I’m ashamed to say that I was good at being sexy for a camera. But I am a far cry from Dr. Ruth. A sexpert? That alone tells me I shouldn’t do it.”

“Look, Dee,” Seven said in a low, conspiratorial voice. “You’re as devout of a Christian as I know. But with this very phone in my hand, I could google nude images of you in seconds. Not only that, but videos of you also having sex with other women.”

I felt my face get hot with both anger and embarrassment. He was bringing up my Achilles heel. God has helped me immensely to deal with my past. It also true that my husband has held me in his big, strong arms as I wept over the fact that I was still causing way more men to sin than women to being brought to Christ.

“When I was a foolish, drug addled young woman, I was paid to be perverse, and the people that paid me own the images. Those images of me are on the worldwide web until God creates a new heaven and a new earth. (Revelation 21:1). So there is nothing I can do about it.”

“But there’s something you can do about it,” Seven said, and this is where he first hooked his fish. I went from desiring to slap him as hard as I could, to curious and intrigued.

“What can I possibly do about it?” I asked skeptically, yet hopeful.

“Don’t you see,” he said, his eyes dancing with merriment. “By partnering with me on my podcast, you can counteract your former career in porn.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, even though I began to see where he was going with this. My own flesh began to now tingle with excitement rather than apprehension.

“Right now, you are only known on the internet for your porn career. Sure, it’s also documented that you are not only not active anymore, but a devout Christian who warns against it. But that’s a tiny segment compared to dozens of videos and thousands of pictures. On my podcast, you will have a voice, and could even have video, in opposition to your former career, your former lifestyle.”

He was right! I could possibly become more known for teaching and preaching about sexual immorality and exploitation than I was for indulging in it. Yet I still didn’t fully understand his plan. How exactly was he going to intertwine interviewing couples that survived adultery to preaching against adult entertainment? I asked him this.

“We’ll work that out,” he said with a shrug. “And I do mean we. You and I will be a team. Not only that, but you will also have full say on what’s appropriate and what’s not. What you are comfortable with, and not.”

“I have to admit, I’m already considering it,” I replied calmly, even though I wanted to shout, I’ll do it! “But I’m going to need a day or two to pray about it and discuss it with Brock.”

“Fair enough, take all the time you need.”

We had a moment of silence. This was always odd with Seven. He was one of the most talkative people I had ever met. I always marveled that Seven and my husband looked more alike than Seven did with his own twin. Genetics can work in strange ways. Yet they couldn’t be more opposite in most other ways.

If I had to compare their looks to somebody well known, I would have to say George Clooney. But Brock was built like a pro wrestler, while Seven was built like a long distance runner. My husband was scared and weathered, albeit in a distinguished way, whereas Seven was smooth and kind of pretty. Brock tended to be quiet and contemplative, whereas Seven was inclined to be noisy and opinionated.

“Can I ask you something personal?” I asked.

“Okay,” Seven replied cautiously as he arched an eyebrow at me.

“Does your fascination with love triangles have anything to do with your own?”

“Whatever do you mean?” Seven responded with a sing song voice, causing me to giggle.

“I think you know what I mean.”

“Actually, I do know what you mean. Obviously, you’re referring to Salena and Zella. But it seems to be resolved now.”

“Really? Do tell.”

“Yeah, I decided Salena was a better fit for me. Her spiritual beliefs are more in line with mine.”

“Oh,” I replied, apparently unable to hide my disappointment.

“What?” Seven said with something like hurt in his expression. “Don’t you like Salena?”

“Oh, I like her just fine for how little I know her. But Zella and I have become pretty close friends, especially over the last few weeks. We’ve gotten together several times since Sevenia’s lecture studies began and have really bonded. I think she’s getting close to making a decision for Christ. The day before yesterday she was asking me about baptism.”

“Really?” Seven replied with a baffled expression. “Why hasn’t she told me this?”

“She’s very hurt by, well, hurting you.”

“What do you mean?” Seven asked with a low, concerned tone.

“She told me she snuck you alcohol.”

“Anything else?”

“That she surprised you by coming out in a sheer negligee.”

“Anything else?”

“That you two knew each other in the biblical sense.”

Seven groaned and bowed his head so it was resting against the top of his steering wheel. “You probably think I’m the biggest hypocrite.”

I shrugged. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. It doesn’t seem like you and she are continuing in sin. Besides, I’m sure your judgement was impaired with a buzz.”

“I can’t blame it on that,” Seven whined in a self-deprecating way. “It was mostly seeing her basically in the nude that made me cave. I mean that coupled with the fact that I’ve always found her incredibly attractive anyway.”

“What do you think of her new hair style?”

“Her whole new look even,” Seven replied. “The last two times I’ve seen her she’s worn a long skirt with sneakers. It’s both intriguing and a little creepy.”

“Creepy. Why creepy?”

“It’s a little like being attracted to my daughter.”

I frowned in contemplation. “I guess it is quite similar. But so many women at church wear long skirts that I hadn’t really considered it. Hey, check that out.”

Seven turned his gaze where mine was. Under a light just outside of the church, Salina and Zella appeared to be looking up scriptures together with their Bibles. Seven groaned, and his head thunked against his steering wheel again.

(DESTINY’S NOTES FROM SEVENIA’S 4^th LESSON: WHY NOT TO BE AFRAID OF DEATH)

Death is not a punishment from God, but something He is trying to save you from.

Eden means pleasure. See Genesis 2:16, 17

God did not say he would kill if they ate from the tree of life, he warned that they would surely die. Is there a difference between a warning and a threat? Yes!

Look up Romans 6:20-23

Death is a natural and inevitable consequence of sin and separation. See James 1:14, 15

Is God the causer of death? No, He is the giver of life! See Proverbs 8:35, 36

God gave sinners up TO and OVER to their sins. God did not give up ON them. See Romans 1:24, 26, 28

Look up Romans 8:2

Isaiah tells us why 59:1, 2

Clearly God is comfortable in the presence of sinners. Sinners aren’t comfortable in the presence of God. When the woman washes Jesus’ feet, He wasn’t offended, but appreciated her gesture. It was the religious zealots that were offended that he allowed a “sinner” to do it.

There are two kinds of death.

The first death is referred to, as a sleep. See Matthew 9:23-25, Mark 5:38-42, Luke 8:49-55, John 11:11-26. In each of these Jesus refers to death as a sleep. See also Acts 7:59, 60, 2Peter 3:4

The phrase “slept with his fathers” occurs 36 times in the Old Testament.

The Bible warns against trying to make contact with the dead. Deuteronomy 18:9-12, Leviticus 19:31, Leviticus 20:6, Deuteronomy 32:16-21, Psalm 106:36-38, 1Samuel chapter 28

Jesus died the second death! Not just the first.

Look up Matthew 10:28

Not just 2 deaths, but 2 resurrections. One of “life” and one of “condemnation.” See John 5:29, compare Acts 24:15

Read Matthew 26:36-39. I loved how Sevenia pointed out that Jesus’ soul was dying not a physical death, but the second death several hours before He experienced any physical torture from His adversaries. For our sins! Thank you precious Savior!

He was being numbered with the transgressors. See Isaiah 53:12

Look up Matthew 27:46, John 1:18, John 10:30

God was broken to heal human brokenness.

While Jesus had previously spoken confidently of His resurrection (Matthew 17:22, 23) Now, as He hung on the cross, bearing the crushing weight of OUR sins upon His conscience, he was enshrouded in mental darkness and felt completely separated from the Father. Psalm 88 is a messianic prophecy that describes just how deep the mental darkness was into which Jesus was plunged… and yet Jesus suffered all of this voluntarily. (Ty Gibson)

Look up John 10:17, 18, and John 19:10, 11, Matthew 26:53

Jesus’ resurrection is the believer’s guarantee of rescue from death.

Look up Acts 2:24, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, John 15:13,15, Revelation 1:18